The present invention relates to the general field of thrust reversers for bypass turbojets. It relates more particularly to an electromechanical thrust reverser having at least two displaceable elements that co-operate, in the open position of the reverser, in producing thrust reversal, such as, for example, a thrust reverser having grids, doors, or shells.
Thrust reversers fitted to bypass turbojets are well known in the field of aviation. They serve to increase the safety of an airplane by providing assistance in braking during landing. Thrust reversers are generally in the form of at least two moving elements such as sliding doors which are capable of being displaced relative to the pod of the turbojet by means of control actuators so that, when operating to provide thrust reversal, i.e. when the in the open position, they constitute an obstacle for a fraction of the gas coming from the turbojet, which fraction is redirected forwards so as to provide the airplane with reverse thrust.
Thrust reversers are provided with various levels of locking, each level of locking being individually capable of holding the doors of the thrust reverser. Generally, these levels of locking are provided by three locking devices per reverser: a primary lock; a secondary lock; and a tertiary lock. Each of the locks is designed to withstand the loading on the doors in the event of the other two locks failing. The primary and secondary locks are controlled individually by a thrust reverser control unit, and the tertiary lock is controlled directly from the airplane cockpit.
In order to obtain good safety when opening and closing the reverser, it is necessary to ensure that control of the locks is synchronized between the doors, and in particular that control of their primary locks is synchronized. In thrust reversers of known type, the primary locks are controlled in parallel during reverser opening and closing sequences. There therefore exists no way of genuinely synchronizing their control to ensure that in the event of one of the primary locks becoming jammed, no action can be taken on the other primary lock. The absence of such synchronization between the control of the primary locks can be particularly damaging for the thrust reverser, particularly in the event of one of the locks failing or jamming.